Directions

Soak rice beans in cold water 8 hours or overnight. Drain, rinse and drain again. Place soaked beans in a medium heavy pot with enough cold water to cover by an inch. Add onion and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer very gently 30 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and cold water to just cover the beans if necessary. Cook an additional 2030 minutes until beans are creamy inside but still intact. Remove onion and bay leaf and reserve.

Heat olive oil in large kettle over high heat. When smoking, add onions, 1 teaspoon salt, and freshly ground pepper. Stir and cook 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and chiles and cook one minute to release their aroma. Add corn kernels, stock or water, chayote, and rice beans with the cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in peppers, crab, and crema and warm through. Serve garnished with minced chives.